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Students build boardwalk for park Jeanne Gagnon Northern News Services Published Monday, January 23, 2012
Some 20 to 25 industrial arts program students, from Grades 10 to 12 participated in the project for Parks Canada from mid-November to mid-December. Teacher Travis Benoit said the students built 13 sections of boardwalk 1.2 metres wide and 2.4 metres long. "They had to measure the proper length, cut the pieces to size and then they fastened them in place using screws." Benoit said the students learned construction skills and the use of electrical saws and portable drills. Initially, getting comfortable with the tools was challenging but as the project moved along, the challenge was to ensure everything was lined-up square and the edges were straight. "Because each section was similar, even though they were a little bit uncomfortable with the first few, by the time they got towards the end, they were doing most of the project on their own," he said. Parks Canada requested the school build the boardwalk and donated the tools. The boardwalk will be installed at Malikjuaq Territorial Park, a 45-minute hike or 10-minute boat ride from Cape Dorset, probably this summer. "Our senior students are gaining some valuable skills with using hand tools to produce boardwalks for a sensitive ecozone across the water from Cape Dorset in Mallik Island," said vice-principal Mike Soares. Rosemary Rowsell, a 16-year-old Grade 11 student, said she enjoyed building the boardwalk and using the drill and miter saw. The project was a positive experience but she found putting screws into the boardwalks challenging at first. Rowsell said she will probably be one of the first to walk on the boardwalk. Benoit said the project was successful and done on time. "It's basically an introduction to the construction skills they would need to use if they were going to start, for example, framing a wall or anything like that," he said. "They would be using the same sorts of tools and the same sorts of skills."
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